Has anyone tested WhatsApp or Google Maps Android version on BB10?

We can sideload Android apps and since crucial ones like WhatsApp, Google Maps, Instagram, Netflix, Skype, etc are not yet there, has anyone tried side loading them? How's the performance of WhatsApp and Google Maps in particular? How about the other crucial apps like the ones listed?

Works fine...

The Android version of WhatsApp generally works fine. The lack of a back button means you have to use the slightly diagonal back swipe to navigate within the app, and I sometimes have to hide the keyboard using the double swipe down. Notifications work, although Android app notifications in the Hub are not nearly as elegant and integrated as native apps. I've been using my Dev Alpha as my primary device since Tuesday, and I use both BBM and WhatsApp quite regularly without any major issue.

Google Maps with Navigation also worked alright on my Dev Alpha. Since gaining access to the native Maps app, I have uninstalled the Android version of Google Maps, just because it is a bit clunky. But if you want to use it for transit times or even navigation, I think it should work fine (unless there's been some drastic change in the launch release version of BlackBerry 10, which is unlikely).

Re: Has anyone tested WhatsApp or Google Maps Android version on BB10?

Originally Posted by justen

The Android version of WhatsApp generally works fine. The lack of a back button means you have to use the slightly diagonal back swipe to navigate within the app, and I sometimes have to hide the keyboard using the double swipe down. Notifications work, although Android app notifications in the Hub are not nearly as elegant and integrated as native apps. I've been using my Dev Alpha as my primary device since Tuesday, and I use both BBM and WhatsApp quite regularly without any major issue.

Google Maps with Navigation also worked alright on my Dev Alpha. Since gaining access to the native Maps app, I have uninstalled the Android version of Google Maps, just because it is a bit clunky. But if you want to use it for transit times or even navigation, I think it should work fine (unless there's been some drastic change in the launch release version of BlackBerry 10, which is unlikely).

Ymmv, as always.

Thanks. That's exactly what I wanted to know. Could you elaborate just a bit on the back gesture and the other gesture you mentioned? Do you find the android player to be good enough that light apps like Instagram and stuff can work decently?

Ive sideloaded Google Maps on my Z10 and I was really impressed. Works very well! Feels almost native to be honest. Tested Navigation and regular maps. GPS caught right away too. Much better than when I tried sideloading it on the Dev Alpha.

Ive sideloaded Google Maps on my Z10 and I was really impressed. Works very well! Feels almost native to be honest. Tested Navigation and regular maps. GPS caught right away too. Much better than when I tried sideloading it on the Dev Alpha.

Thanks. That's exactly what I wanted to know. Could you elaborate just a bit on the back gesture and the other gesture you mentioned? Do you find the android player to be good enough that light apps like Instagram and stuff can work decently?

Android apps have a native-like BlackBerry bar along the bottom with buttons that map to the Android back and menu buttons. If you prefer to hide that bar, you can. You can then use a swipe from right-to-left, from just below-to-just-above the bottom of the screen, to move backwards through Android apps. It's tough to describe, but it works well. Likewise, sometimes you want the keyboard hidden. You place two fingers on the keyboard, anywhere, and swipe downwards to make it disappear. These gestures have both been very useful in interacting with WhatsApp.

I haven't used the Instagram app, but the WhatsApp and Twitter Android apps both have worked fairly well for me for several months now on my Dev Alpha. As mentioned, the Contacts integration isn't currently mapping between BlackBerry, Android, and WhatsApp. I only have five contacts on WhatsApp, so I just wait for them to message me and they show up in my chats list by their number. If you have dozens of contacts all using WhatsApp, it might be tough to remember which is which by their telephone number, but that's the only immediate issue I can think of that might cause you any major problems.

I have downloaded several apps from bb10bars.net, including WhatsApp, without any trouble. Combined with the PlayBook App Manager extension for Chrome, sideloading is quite a quick and painless process. While WhatsApp and Instagram are both expected somewhat soon on BlackBerry 10 natively, this has been a very handy option in the meantime.

Honestly, as I live in one place and my business in another, viber, whatsapp and Skype are extremely important, in fact those are the only apps I would care in BB10 (other than the native ones of course).

Notifications from Whatsapp should show up automatically in the hub, even without the Active Frame. It works okay overall, except it doesn't work with my contact list. That means I have to ask people to message me before I'm able to actually talk to them. Once that's sorted, you're golden. Just be sure not to end any conversations.

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